Zelensky Slams US Envoy for Spreading ‘Russian Narratives’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized US envoy Steve Witkoff for “disseminating Russian narratives” in response to remarks made about occupied regions of Ukraine.

Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday, Zelensky accused Witkoff of aligning with Russia’s perspective, whether deliberately or not.

“I think it is very dangerous because he is consciously or unconsciously, I don’t know, disseminating Russian narratives. In any case, it does not help,” Zelensky said.

His comments come after Witkoff, in an interview with Fox News earlier this week, described his recent discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “compelling.”

During the interview, Witkoff claimed that any future peace deal would likely involve negotiations over the “so-called five territories.” These include Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, along with Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson — regions Russia has partially occupied since launching a full-scale invasion in 2022.

Zelensky’s remarks reflect ongoing concerns in Kyiv over international perceptions and the framing of the war, particularly when it comes to territorial sovereignty and peace negotiations.